Chip guarantees all of his work, with the exception of the hands and feet. Only about 20-25% of people maintain ink in those spots. Tattoos on the inside of the lips or on the tongue are also not guaranteed. The high amount of acidity in the mouth is not good for proper healing of the tattoo. He will not tattoo the bottoms of the feet or palms of the hands. The ink will not last and is therefore a waste of time. This guarantee is void if you do not follow the suggested aftercare and damage your tattoo.
If you have any questions about your tattoo or how it's healing, don't hesitate to call, email, or stop in. No matter how silly you think the question is, it's better to make sure. We are always here to help. Remember to ignore any advice from friends, family, co-workers, drunks, or anyone else who thinks they can tell you how to take care of your tattoo. What they tell you may end up damaging your tattoo. Just follow the simple aftercare instructions provided here and you shouldn't have a problem.
How You Should Not Care for Your New Tattoo
If you are leaving with a bandage, you only need to keep it on for 1-2 hours. After that, do not bandage it again. Instead, wash your tattoo with an antibacterial soap that is perfume and dye-free.
Do not use plastic wrap (Saran Wrap) to cover your tattoo. It prevents oxygen from getting to it which will delay healing and can cause bacteria to propagate.
Do not use Neosporin, Bacitracin, Triple Antibiotic Ointment, A&D, Vaseline, Preparation H, Bag Balm, or Olive Oil. Most of these products have a petroleum base. The petroleum base prevents oxygen from reaching your tattoo. It is too thick to be absorbed by your skin. This means you will have a sticky tattoo that can easily attract dirt and breed bacteria. They can also cause your tattoo to ooze excessively, taking some color along with it.
Do not submerge your tattoo in water for 7-10 days. That means no pools, hot tubs or baths. Showers are fine. Wash your tattoo last in the shower to make sure you remove any leftover shampoo or conditioner from it. Use your hand to wash the tattoo, as loofahs and washcloths may remove a scab prematurely or cause irritation.
Do not expose your tattoo to the sun or tanning booths for 3 weeks. It causes damage to your skin and will fade your tattoo. When your tattoo is healed, use a minimum SPF 45 sunblock. Make sure the sunblock protects against UVA and UVB rays. You can also apply it to just the tattooed area to help prevent fading while tanning. Colors will not be as bright on darker skin tones or tanned skin.
If you find you have scabs in some spots, do not pick your scabs. Allow the scabbing to run its course. If you notice some redness around the scab, don't worry. Sometimes scabs can pull the surrounding skin tighter, which causes the redness you're experiencing.
How You Should Care for Your New Tattoo
Your skin may ooze lymph. Lymph is a yellowish/clear substance that appears on the surface of the tattoo. Sometimes it can run and take some residual ink with it. This is normal so...
Be careful when removing clothing. The lymph can dry and cause the tattooed area to stick to your clothing.
Wet the area over the clothing with a washcloth or hop in the shower with it on, you will be able to remove it without pulling off any scabs, so...
...wear loose clothes for the first few nights to help prevent this.
After a few days, you can start to use a mild, perfume free skin lotion. You can use the lotion as needed until the tattoo is done peeling and is no longer shiny. Some mild skin lotions you can use are St Ives, Collagen, Elastin, Jergens Shea Butter, Vaseline Intensive Care, St. Ives Intensive Healing, Curel Ultra Healing, Gold Bond Ultimate, Jergens Ultra Healing, Moisturel, and Lubriderm.
Wash your tattoo 2 to 3 times a day with the previously mentioned antibacterial soap.
Oh, and a few more things...
Bruising can happen around the tattoo. Usually it happens on the underside of the arms, the chest, and around the thighs. This is normal and will eventually fade away.
Peeling occurs with most tattoos, and kind of looks like a sunburn peel. You might have flakes of color in the peeling skin, but there is no need to worry. This is normal.
In most cases, a milky coating will appear over your tattoo after several days. It is new skin growth and it usually lasts as little as three days and as long as a week.
And remember, antibiotic ointment can not prevent infection, it can only treat an existing one (which you'll never have from an Artifex tattoo, because you read this whole thing, right?).